The ice inside Idaho Central Arena looked a little different Friday night as Boise State men’s hockey players skated out wearing bright pink jerseys for the team’s first annual Pink in the Rink game. The event, held in partnership with St. Luke’s Breast Care Services, raised awareness and funds for breast cancer support programs within their organization.
What began as a night of hard hits and quick goals soon turned into something more meaningful. Fans signed pink jerseys that would later be auctioned off, survivors shared their stories and Boise State players skated in support of those impacted by breast cancer. The night ended with a 5-3 Boise State victory over Northern Arizona.
The Broncos came out firing, scoring two goals within the first five minutes to take control early. Ryan O’Loughlin opened the night with a quick strike, followed closely by Jackson Howell, who buried a clean feed from Tyler Hanson. Whatever the Broncos were running was working — they controlled puck possession through most of the first two periods, keeping play largely on NAU’s side of the ice.
Midway through the second, Grayden Pond struck one into the net for another goal to make it 3–0. Two minutes later, NAU finally found the board, but the Broncos quickly silenced the push with a highlight goal from Aiden Engels, assisted by Jonas Rettell.
Retell brought the puck up the middle, cut to the right and sent a heater across the crease. Engels fought through the defender, slipped around the left side of the net, and tapped it in, a moment that carried far more meaning than the scoreboard could show.
The third period saw a bit of back-and-forth scoring — NAU added two more goals, but Boise State answered right back as Retell and Engels swapped roles, with Retell burying one off an Engels assist to seal the 5–3 win.
Engels had a big night on the ice, scoring a goal for his mom, a survivor of breast cancer, and then being awarded player of the game. He mentioned before the game he was going to score a goal for his mom during Pink in the Rink, and he delivered.
“For me, it meant a lot,” Engels said after the game. “My mom [was] going through breast cancer — watching her lose everything and have to start from scratch. It’s pretty tough to see. To see the way she was able to prevail through it all means everything to me and my family.”
Engels’ mom, Jody, sat in the stands that night, a survivor whose strength mirrored the purpose behind the event. She was diagnosed with stage 2B breast cancer in 2021 and went through chemotherapy and radiation after losing both breasts during treatment.
Jody shared early detection was critical in her own recovery and hopes others stay proactive about their health. “I was 42 when I was diagnosed,” she said. “You never think it’s going to be you, but it happens and getting checked early made a difference for me.”
She smiled, recalling the moment her son scored and notched an assist in the same game.
“My kid scored a goal for me,” Jody said. “That meant everything to me.”
The jerseys Boise State wore during the game were special, too. Near the main entrance, there was a bright pink jersey with signatures from breast cancer survivors.
Game-worn jerseys were set to be auctioned off after the game, with all proceeds going directly to St. Luke’s Breast Care Services to help cover mammograms and screenings for those unable to afford them.
Christine Myron, who works in public relations for St. Luke’s, said events like Pink in the Rink directly fund early-detection programs and awareness campaigns.
“Access to care is at the center of St. Luke’s strategy,” she said. “Funds from community events like Boise State’s Pink in the Rink help provide grant programs to assist with the cost of mammograms or diagnostic breast studies for those who qualify.”
She added Idaho currently ranks 49th in the nation for breast cancer screenings, making this type of outreach essential. “Events like this bring greater awareness to the importance of regular mammograms and the value of early detection,” Myron said.
The game was about more than hockey. “You never know who it could affect,” Engels said. “It can come at the most random times.”
As the game wrapped up and the Broncos celebrated their 5-3 win, the meaning of the night stretched beyond the ice. Every goal, save and cheer echoed the purpose behind the Pink in the Rink game and served as a reminder that the game stood for something bigger than hockey.
